Verbena plant named &#39;VEAZ0031&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant named ‘VEAZ0031’ particularly distinguished by the large sized inflorescences, the flowers with dark red color, dark green, undivided leaves, and a trailing plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Verbena hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘VEAZ0031’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘VEAZ0031’.

‘VEAZ0031’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large sized inflorescences, dark red flowers, dark green, un-divided leaves and a trailing plant habit.

‘VEAZ0031’ originated from an open pollination made in August 2012 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was a plant designated ‘P3088-4’, having a red flower color with a peach starpattern, and a semi upright plant habit, which later became ‘VEAZ0033’. The male parent of ‘VEAZ0031’ is unknown.

The resulting seed was sown in February 2013 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and ‘VEAZ0031’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2013.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0031’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated in June 2013 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the fall of 2013, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘VEAZ0031’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘VEAZ0031’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in the European Union (CPVO—Community Plant Variety Office) on Nov. 19, 2015 and assigned application No. 2015/2726.

‘VEAZ0031’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘VEAZ0031’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Verbena as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘VEAZ0031’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing in FIG. 1 shows a close view of an inflorescence of the new plant. The aforementioned photograph was taken in July 2016 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The plants were about 12 weeks old and were grown in 12 cm pots.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘VEAZ0031’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘VEAZ0031’ ‘Empress Cherry Red’ Flower color: Dark Red More cherry red Flower, size: Smaller Larger Leaf, size: Large Medium Mildew susceptibility: Not susceptible Very Susceptible

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous, trailing and             free-branching.         -   Plant height.—17.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—21.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—47.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—11-14 days at             about 22 degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 138A.         -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—3.5-4.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Hastate.         -   Base shape.—Obtuse.         -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.         -   Lower surface.—Pubescent.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 145C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 145B.         -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 145C.         -   Petiole length.—0.6 cm.         -   Petiole width.—0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—Side branches develop potentially             at each node.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—9 to 12.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 143A.         -   Stem length.—About 15.0-24.0 cm.         -   Stem width.—About 0.4 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—About 2.6 to 3 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute.         -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138B.         -   Length of peduncle.—From 2.0 to 3.5 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Canescent, also short, transparent glandular hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel-like, but actually a spike, umbrella-shaped.         -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously during the summer             months.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 4-6             days in the greenhouse.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—38 at various stages at             development.         -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—5.9-6.4 cm.         -   Depth of inflorescence.—3.4 cm.         -   Number of florets and buds per inflorescence.—Approximately             23-29. -   Bud:     -   -   Color.—RHS N155B.         -   Length.—0.5 cm (future corolla only).         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Tubular with bulbous apex. -   Floret:     -   -   Form.—Sessile; salver-shaped, composed of 5 partly fused             petals with a base of a narrow tube.         -   Immature color, upper surface.—RHS 46B at the outside and             RHS 45A on the inside.         -   Immature color, lower surface.—RHS 53A.         -   Mature color, upper surface.—RHS 46C.         -   Mature color, lower surface.—RHS 53A.         -   Floret diameter.—3.8 cm.         -   Floret length (depth).—3.2 cm.         -   Petal length.—1.3 cm.         -   Petal width.—1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Obcordate.         -   Apex shape.—Emarginate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose; pubescent.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, pubescent.         -   Corolla tube length.—2.3 cm.         -   Corolla tube width.—0.3 cm.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 53A.         -   Tube color outside.—RHS 53B.         -   Corolla texture, inside.—Pubescent.         -   Corolla texture, outside.—Canescent, lower part glabrous.         -   Throat hair color.—RHS 155D but whiter. -   Calyx:     -   -   Type.—Five sepals whose margins are fused to each other             along their length, with a transparent membrane of less than             0.1 cm in width and with one smaller sepal attached to the             base of the calyx.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143A.         -   Length of sepals.—1.0 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Fused, linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Densely covered with very short glandular hair. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium pistil.—1.         -   Pistil length.—1.7 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS N144C.         -   Style length.—1.5 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 144A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144B.         -   Ovary length.—0.2 cm.         -   Ovary width.—0.1 cm.         -   Androecium stamens.—Anthers and filaments fused to upper             half of corolla tube; four anthers with two pollen sacs per             anther.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 151D.         -   Filament length.—0.2 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 151C.         -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.         -   Pollen amount.—None observed. -   Fertility/seed set: Neither seed nor fruit production has been     observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Verbena has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0031’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 